Passage from George Whitefield
"Whitefield's Journals"
A BIT OF STUDY FOR YOU: George has given me two passages from "George Whitefield's Journals". As many of you now know, I have preached some "very different attitudes" in these Assemblies than are taught anywhere else in socalled Charismatic Circles and lukewarm Pentecostal Churches... but God vindicates and gives the evidence thereto... here is some evidence concerning childrearing (German: "Erziehung"):
p.149 "...Exercised a little discipline this evening on a boy, whom Captain Mackay took notice of above a week ago for behaving ill at church, and said he would deliver him up to me. I therefore, by the advice of his master, ordered him to be tied till he could say the 51st Psalm, which he repeated tonight very solemnly in the midst of the congregation. May it be a warning to him for the future!"
p.146 "...Had a good instance of the benefit of breaking children's wills betimes. Last night going between decks (as I do every night) to visit the sick and to examine my people, I asked one of the women to bid her little boy who stood by her, say his prayers; she answered his elder sister would, but she could not make him. Upon this, I bid the child kneel down before me, but he would not till I took hold of his two feet and forced him down. I then bid him say the Lord's Prayer (being informed by his mother he could say it if he would); but he obstinately refused, till at last, after I had given him several blows, he said his prayer as well as could be expected, and I gave him some figs for a reward.
And this same child, though not above four years of age, came tonight on deck, and when the other children came to say their prayers to my friend Habersham, he burst out into tears, and would not go away till he had said his too.
I mention this as a proof of the necessity of early correction. Children are sensible of it sooner than parents imagine.
And if they would but have resolution to break their wills thoroughly when young, the work of conversion would be much easier, and they would not be so troubled with perverse children when they are old."
Dated Friday, March 1738 on the way to America from Gibraltar.
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